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Home > Family > Working With Children Isn't Even Remotely Close to Parenting

Working With Children Isn't Even Remotely Close to Parenting

by Kristine Croto on February 21, 2013

Kristine Croto

About the Author

Kristine Croto is a mom raising two kids in small(ish) town in Vermont. With an eye towards attachment parenting practices, but an ultimate belief that whatever stops the crying and doesn't break the kiddos is the way to go, she tries to walk the walk half as well as she talks the talk on Ravelry.com's parenting forums.

About the Blog

WhatToExpect.com supports Word of Mom as a place to share stories and highlight the many perspectives and experiences of pregnancy and parenting. However, the opinions expressed in this section are those of individual writers and do not reflect the views of Heidi Murkoff of the What to Expect brand.

Before I had kids, I thought I'd be a terrible parent, because I hated working with children. But in theory, I like kids. When they were being well-behaved, sweet, smart, and imaginative, I liked them quite a lot. But let's face it: Kids are messy, they break things and say "oops" as something crashes to the floor. And then they look so sad and broken that, try as you might, you really can't bring yourself to be angry at them for it.

Before I had kids, I thought that I'd never survive parenthood. I was convinced that the first time my child barfed on me, pooped somewhere other than a diaper, or drooled half-chewed food all over her shirt, I'd be out of there. But my husband wanted kids, and I wanted older kids ? not babies, but older kids ? and I thought to myself...how bad could this really be?

So we had kids. Given all of the grossness I had mentally prepared myself for, I was completely unprepared. I wasn't ready for six weeks of the heaviest period I'd ever had, the amount of poop (how can this much come out of such a tiny person?!), or the way you smell when your bra is full of spit-up.

But I was also completely unprepared for how much less gross it all is when it's your kid. Don't get me wrong, it's still disgusting to see your sweetie vomit, but it's way less gross than seeing an unrelated person, or even your spouse, vomit. I'm never going to enjoy cleaning up poop, but it doesn't make me gag when it's my baby.

All of that, plus the intense sense of pride and amazement when I see my kids do anything ? sit up, do a silly dance, say their first words, or argue me into something I didn't want to say yes to ? makes me glad I didn't let my distaste of working with children put me off having kids of my own. It's a completely different experience, and while it's a wild, frustrating, disgusting ride, I'm so glad I'm on this roller coaster.

What grossed you out before you had kids but doesn't bother you now? Share below in the comments section!